LII. COMPOSITE 
251 
3. Aster asperulus, Nees ; Fl. Br. Lid. iii. 252. Similar in 
aspect to A. Thomsoni, but the stem is nearly glabrous, the leaves 
have winged stalks, and the pappus is as long as the corollas. 
Simla ; July-October. — W. Himalaya, 4000-9000 ft. 
11. ERIGERON. The classical name of a plant allied to the 
Groundsel, Senecio 'vulgaris, derived from the Greek eri, early, 
and geron, an old man ; some species are covered with hoary down 
when young. — N. temperate regions. 
Erect herbs. Leaves alternate. Heads radiate, small or large. 
Involucral bracts in few series ; receptacle flat or slightly convex, 
naked ; ray-flowers in more than two series, lilac or purple ; 
ligules short or long, entire or minutely toothed ; disk-flowers 
yellow, tubular, 5-toothed ; pappus copious or scanty, rough. 
Achenes flattened. 
Heads not more than | in. diam. Ligules slightly ex- 
ceeding the pappus. 
Heads \ in. diam. Leaves crowded, linear, 1J-4 in. 
long . . . . . . . . . 1. E. linifolius. 
Heads f in. diam. Leaves distant, lanceolate or 
obovate, 1-2J in. long . . . . . . 2. E. multicaidis. 
Heads 1-2 in. diam. Ligules far exceeding the pappus . 3. E. multiradiatus. 
1. Erigeron linifolius, Willd . ; Fl. Br. Ind. iii. 254. More or 
less hairy ; stems 1-3 ft., often much branched. Leaves crowded, 
all sessile, linear, 1^-4 in. and entire, or sometimes the lower ones 
stalked, \ in. broad and coarsely toothed. Heads numerous, about 
\ in. diam., on slender stalks, forming a leafy, corymbose panicle. 
Ray-flowers pale purple or white ; ligules slightly exceeding the 
pappus. 
Simla, roadsides ; May-August. — A garden escape. 
2. Erigeron multicaulis, DC . ; Fl. Br. Ind. iii. 255, under 
E. alpinus. Moie or less hairy or pubescent ; stems 6-24 in., 
often tufted. Radical leaves stalked, oblong, spreading. Stem- 
leaves lanceolate, narrowed to a sessile base, l-2Jx-|-J in., or 
obovate, about 2 x \ in., entire or obscurely toothed, acute or 
obtuse. Heads solitary, long-stalked, about \ in. diam., in 
terminal, corymbose panicles. Involucral bracts linear, outer 
shorter, inner long-pointed ; ray-flowers pale purple ; ligules 
slightly exceeding the pappus. Achenes hairy. 
Simla, common; May-October.— Temperate Himalaya, 3000-10,000 ft. 
The two extreme forms of this species, (a) with narrowly lanceolate, almost 
linear leaves, and ( b ) with broadly obovate leaves, look very different ; the latter- 
might for convenience be distinguished as var. obovatus ; but the two are con- 
nected by intermediates. 
3. Erigeron multiradiatus, Benth.; Fl. Br. Ind. iii. 256. 
Hairy ; stems 8-24 in. Leaves sessile, ovate-lanceolate, 1^ x J in., 
